


When Sick For Home

by Mara



Category: GARO (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 08:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19460500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: Leo staggered, caught between the pain sizzling through his side and the air he needed so desperately slicing into his lungs like daggers. How long had he been running? How much blood had he lost?





	When Sick For Home

**Author's Note:**

> For this fic, I prefer to leave the pairing or pairing(s) as a mystery. If you have pairings you hate, probably best not to read this.
> 
> This fic is based on a prompt I found on https://whumpishprompts.tumblr.com/.

Breathing hurt. Leo staggered, caught between the pain sizzling through his side and the air he needed so desperately slicing into his lungs like daggers. How long had he been running? How much blood had he lost?

He should have listened to Eruba, shouldn't have tried to go undercover. Thought he was so clever, but now he was somewhere in a forest without his tools or his sword or his Madou ring. He tried to call to Eruba in his mind but there was…he couldn't focus. There was only noise where there should have been her voice.

Each step made the pain worse and he had slowed to barely moving, each foot rising just enough to slide forward. Leo wobbled, trying to focus on moving his feet. A step. Another. He had to keep going, because if his human and Horror captors found him, this time he would be unable to escape. 

He had to keep going. He had to tell the council what was happening. This plan…he had to…

Legs giving out, Leo slid to his knees, almost falling against the tree that jutted out of the mud. He tried to look around for any sign of the monsters following him but his eyes couldn't quite focus. It looked clear and Leo took a very careful breath of relief. Turning to try and rest against the tree, his side screamed in agony and he slipped forward, landing in the mud, his face just barely above the level of slime.

If he'd had the slightest energy left for it, Leo might have laughed at how ridiculous he probably looked. Instead he gave up and managed to wedge the arm that wasn't keeping him from bleeding out under his head so he wouldn't drown and focused on trying to breathe.

It was getting darker, which might have been good for keeping him hidden if Horrors weren't so much more powerful at night. Leo winced as his head decided this was a good time to join in the fun, starting to pound like a drum. He needed to keep going but the slightest movement made everything spin. The pounding in his head got louder, like static, like a million voices yelling at him. Like Eruba was going to yell at him.

He tried to move his arm to push himself up but instead slipped, ending up with his face half-muddy. Nothing responded when he tried to move, the static in his head overwhelming everything. Casting his eyes around him, he saw one last glimpse of the night sky before his eyes slipped closed and he surrendered to unconsciousness.

* * *

Leo was shocked when he found himself drifting back to consciousness and he must have tried to move, because the pain he felt everywhere made him scream. At least, he was fairly sure that was him screaming. It was hard to tell. How was he alive? Were the Horrors saving him for something else?

His mind racing, it took time to sort out what he was hearing besides his own hoarse screams. It was…that was… "Eruba?" he choked out.

"Leo," she said. "You're safe."

"How?"

"You were lucky," another familiar voice said. "Eruba and Zaruba were able to find you through the barrier the Horrors erected."

"Kouga." Leo struggled to open his eyes.

"Rest." A strong hand rested on his shoulder.

He'd never been able to resist an order from Kouga, so Leo let himself relax, now feeling the soft bed under his painful body. Sleep took him again.

* * *

Everything came in flashes of heat and pain after that. Rei holding him down as he thrashed in pain and confusion. Kaoru smiling at him while she wiped his forehead with a cloth. Gonza gently feeding him soup and medicine. Kouga ordering him to calm down, to rest more. Jabi and Rekka staring down at him, brushes in hand, doing…something. He remembered talking through his fevers, words tumbling out of his mouth, but not what he said.

The small part of his mind that wasn't delirious carefully took note of the fact that if it was taking this long for him to heal, even with Makai magic, it must be bad.

It hurt to see his new friends looking so worried for him but it hurt more every time he slipped back into unconsciousness because he was so certain that he'd never see them again.

When he finally woke without the intense heat and pain, he was sure that he was dead. It took a long time for him to open his eyes, since he wasn't convinced he even _had_ eyes at that moment. But the first thing he saw was Kouga, sitting in a chair next to him, apparently meditating.

Leo tried to speak but his throat seized up. "Leo!" Eruba cried from somewhere beside him and then Kouga was in motion, lifting him off the pillows and holding him in a half-upright position as he coughed and gasped for breath.

"Steady," Kouga murmured.

When the coughing finally slowed, Kouga gently laid him back on the mound of pillows and brought him a cup of water. Leo found his arm lacked the strength to hold it and flushed in shame as Kouga, expressionless, helped him take a few sips.

And then it all rushed back and he automatically tried to leap out of the bed, only saved from an ignominious fall by Kouga. "The Horrors," he choked out. "It was Adanon, he was—"

"We know." Kouga gently but firmly put him back on the bed. "We saw. And you told us."

"Oh." The brief shot of adrenaline vanished and he felt limp and useless.

The door opened and Kaoru came through. When she saw him, she slowed to a stop, studying him. "Leo?"

He managed a nod.

"You're…"

"He's awake," Kouga said.

Face lighting up, she almost danced the rest of the way to the bed, barely stopping before she fell on top of him. "I'm so glad," she said in a rush. "I was so worried and—"

"Kaoru."

She looked over at Kouga, giggling. "Yes, Kouga?"

"Go let Rei know and have him contact the others."

Making a funny face at Kouga, she nodded, patting Leo's arm gently. "I'm so glad you're awake."

"As am I." He managed another nod of his head.

She dashed out the door, yelling for Gonza and Rei before the door had closed behind her.

Glancing at Kouga, Leo saw the other man's fond smile at Kaoru's antics. A tiny smile, of course, as befitted the most serious of knights, but one easily recognized by anyone who'd seen him with Kaoru. Leo usually was proof against those smiles, sublimating his feelings into a polite bow, but in his current weakened state, it felt like another sword cutting into his side.

Kouga whirled at Leo's tiny gasp, examining him critically, looking for what was wrong.

"I'm fine." Leo said.

Kouga didn't look like he believed him, but he sat back down in the chair. "You will stay here. The council was informed."

Leo wasn't going to argue with that, even if he'd had the energy to do so. "How long was I…"

"Eight days."

Leo closed his eyes at how bad his situation must have been. He heard the door open.

"Over a week of fever," Rei said.

Opening his eyes again, Leo saw Rei lean against the back of Kouga's chair, eyes fixed on Leo. "Not to mention that you'd lost a significant portion of your blood by the time Kouga found you." His expression was the usual mocking smirk but his voice was more serious than Leo had ever heard. "The infection was everywhere before you made it here."

Leo didn't know what to say, staring at Rei and Kouga.

"Enough," Kouga said.

Rei glanced down at the top of Kouga's head, started to say something, then shrugged and didn't.

Looking around, Leo saw Eruba on a nightstand next to him and tried to reach out for her. When he almost dropped her, Rei was there, catching the ring and sliding it onto his hand. "Oh, Leo," Eruba said, sounding like she wanted to cry.

"There there, sweetheart, he's going to be fine now." Rei didn't let go of Leo's hand, perching on the side of the bed and smiling down at the ring.

"Don't you sweetheart me." Eruba's protest was surprisingly half-hearted. "I know what you get up to and don't you forget it."

"Eruba!" The other two Madou tools spoke in unison.

She harrumphed. "Leo, I'm just glad you're okay."

Leo wanted to ask for some explanations, but then Kaoru was back and Gonza was there with some kind of soup that he insisted was good for healing and everyone was talking. Swallowing took most of his energy, so he focused on that while the others chatted. (Well, Kouga mostly loomed, but everyone was used to that.)

When he'd managed the entire bowl of soup, he was informed firmly that he needed more rest and they filtered out. Kaoru was last, turning in the doorway to look at him for a long moment. "Everything's going to be okay now," she said quietly.

Leo wanted to ask Eruba what was going on but he couldn't articulate his thoughts as he slipped back into non-fevered sleep.

* * *

When he awoke again, Kaoru was sitting by the bed sketching. "Feel up to some more soup?"

He couldn't help glancing at the spoon as she uncovered a bowl on a silver tray.

"You can try yourself. I know it must be frustrating." Her smile was so caring he couldn't take offense. Pushing away the embarrassment at feeling so weak, he let her hold the bowl and carefully managed to get the majority of the soup into his mouth.

Kaoru put the bowl down. "Eruba, did you contact Jabi and Rekka?"

"Yes, of course."

Leo frowned down at his ring. "What?"

"Now that you've made it to this point, they should be able to speed your healing significantly." Eruba sounded like her arms would be crossed if she had them.

"Oh yes. Of course." Shaking his head slightly, Leo decided that paranoia must be a side effect of high fevers, because this feeling that everyone knew something he didn't was unreasonable.

Kaoru gave him some updates on goings-on while he'd been out, even managing to make him laugh aloud at a story of Kouga's befuddlement when confronted with a kitten that had invaded the mansion.

"Honestly, I might have kept her," Kaoru said, leaning forward. "But Kouga seemed so upset when he nearly decapitated the poor thing. She tried to pounce on his head!"

Stifling a smile, Leo said, "I can see how that might be problematic."

He dozed a bit more while Kaoru sketched and awoke again when Jabi and Rekka came in, trying to look calm and collected, but when they clasped his hands, he could feel a tremor. "Thank you," he said. "I have some memories of your work."

They looked at each other and Jabi spoke. "We did a little, but it was Kouga and the others whose care saved you."

"Oh." He felt his face get warm as he realized he hadn't actually thanked anyone else.

"But now that we have something to work with," Rekka said, "we'll move this along."

He tried to focus on which spells they used and the subtle differences with his own work but couldn't quite manage it. Kaoru held his hand as they worked, not flinching as he clutched harder at a few points. She would have been the first to remind him that she wasn't weak, he thought.

Heart racing, he breathed in deeply several times when they were done, pleased when he could feel his lungs and muscles responding as they should. "Much better."

"We'll come back if you need us," Jabi said to him and Kaoru.

Leo and Kaoru nodded. "Thank you," he said.

And the two Priests left, passing Kouga in the hall and greeting him, from what Leo could hear. They stopped to have a short conversation but he couldn't make out the words.

Kouga entered a few moments later. "How do you feel?"

"Much improved. And they reminded me that I should thank you—"

"Ready to walk?" Kouga asked.

"I…yes, I think so." Leo slowly pushed himself up to sitting, carefully judging his arms, abdomen, and legs. "Yes, I can."

Kaoru moved off the side of the bed so he could swing his legs. "Are you sure? I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Smiling at her, Leo slid toward the edge. "It's fine. I need to move as soon as possible."

"He knows his limits," Kouga said, crossing his arms and watching him. "In this, at least," he muttered, so softly Leo wasn't even sure he'd heard correctly.

Kaoru hovered over him but was smart enough to not try to take his arm as he gently placed both feet on the floor and tested his legs. Satisfied they would respond, he pushed himself to standing, attention focused on each muscle as they worked. Leo stood for a long moment, testing his balance. Finding it adequate for a short walk, he carefully stepped toward Kouga. At the last moment, Kouga stepped to the side, allowing Leo to drop into the armchair that the others had been using.

Closing his eyes, Leo assessed his condition. Weak but definitely on the mend. He could feel the shaking in his legs but knew that his own healing powers would kick in shortly to help with that.

When he opened his eyes again, Kaoru was beaming at him. 

Leo ducked his head, smiling. "It's not so wondrous to walk a few steps."

"Leo…" Kaoru sounded sad and he looked up at her. "I thought you were going to die," she said, voice soft but rising. "Nobody, not even Rei, was willing to promise me you'd live. You just kept getting worse and worse."

"Kaoru…" Kouga said, reproving.

"No!" She glared at both of them. "He knows how bad it was, right?"

Leo nodded slowly. "I had guessed."

"So if I want to celebrate a few steps, I will." She almost stamped her feet, impossibly adorable.

The door opened and Rei ducked his head in. "We're celebrating?" Head turning, he saw Leo in the chair and laughed aloud. "Yes, I suppose we're celebrating."

"Who am I to argue with a celebration?" Leo said.

Even Kouga had a tiny smile on his face looking at Leo and he had to look away from their happy faces because he couldn't contain the swell of emotion in his chest.

* * *

That night, as Leo tried to relax and sleep after the day's excitement, he finally remembered something. "Eruba?"

"Yes?"

"What did I talk about while I was feverish?"

She was silent for a moment and he tilted his head to look down at her, a vague shape in the small amount of moonlight in the room. "You were very insistent that you had to report on your mission to the council. It took us some time to convince you that you'd done it."

That seemed logical but it didn't feel quite right. Or at least not enough. "And?"

"You talked about your childhood. And your parents." She huffed. "You weren't terribly coherent."

Closing his eyes, Leo tried to breathe normally through the panic. It certainly could explain some of the strange feeling. 

Eruba sighed. "I did my best to explain without giving away any further information."

"Thank you."

"Leo, it's not your f—"

"I know."

She sighed again. "Do you, though? Sleep now. Worry tomorrow."

* * *

Gonza came frequently to change the bandages on his wounded side and give him various medicines, showing his long experience at patching up Knights.

"You're looking much better," Gonza said as he pulled Leo's shirt down to cover his almost healed side.

"Yes, thank you." Leo bowed his head.

"I'm glad we were able to assist." Gonza smiled at him benevolently. "I hope that you feel at home here."

Leo considered that statement after Gonza had left. Did he? Possibly, but certainly he shouldn't get used to it.

Kouga came a little later, bringing some volumes of Makai history, for which Leo was entirely thankful. He was starting to get slightly stir crazy now that he wasn't sleeping most of the time.

"I'm nearly ready to return to my chambers at the council," Leo said as Kouga put the books down next to the bed.

"No," Kouga said.

Leo blinked. 

"The council was informed. You will remain here."

Leo tried again. "I can't stay forever."

Kouga just stared at him.

"I mean, I appreciate—"

"They endangered you. You will stay here." Kouga stood, stalking out of the room like he was on the scent of a Horror. 

When Rei came in some time later, Leo was trying to read but was mostly staring thoughtfully at the door, trying to figure out what Kouga was talking about. 

"Hey," Rei said, dropping into the chair. "Think you're ready for some training exercises this afternoon?" He tilted his chin at Leo's sword where it leaned against the wall waiting.

Leo dragged his attention to Rei. "Yes. I believe so."

"Good." Rei nodded, brow furrowed. "Something bothering you?"

"I just had an odd conversation with Kouga."

Grinning, Rei shook his head. "Having any conversation with him is odd enough. Most silent man I've ever known."

"He seems to think I'm never going back to my rooms at the council? Something about them putting me in danger."

Rei's hands twitched. "Yeah, I agree with him. This mission you were on…"

"It was my choice to go." Frowning, Leo put down his book. "And Eruba did attempt to convince me, but I chose to take the chance."

Rei smiled at his ring. "And that's why I like her."

"Thank you, Zero." Her voice was a little frosty but she seemed pleased. "It's nice to be appreciated."

"But a more senior voice on the council should have seen that this was a bad idea." Rei put his arms on his knees, leaning forward in emphasis. "Kouga is right. They had no care for your safety. We do and we'll take care of you." His voice was intense, passionate.

Leo didn't know what to say to that. "I…"

Rei looked away. "Sorry. I get…carried away. Just let us help you and we'll discuss it when you're recovered, okay?"

Leo nodded.

"Good. Let's go do some training. I can't wait to get you back up to speed."

Knowing it was expected of him, Leo groaned performatively as he stood and lifted his sword. Rei grinned in anticipation and Leo couldn't help smiling back. It would be good to have his full strength back, although the process of getting there would be painful.

* * *

Soaking in a steaming tub an hour later, Leo leaned his head back and tried to not fall asleep. Even with his jump-started healing, everything was exactly as painful as he'd suspected it would be. It was a throwback to when he'd first trained to be a Makai Knight. Unlike his father, Leo thought with a pang, Rei was surprisingly patient and even more surprisingly expert at telling when a particular exercise was done and it was time to move on.

He would _not_ think about his childhood. That was an unproductive line of thinking and would only hinder his healing. Clearing his mind, Leo began a mental exercise that would help to channel his energies in the most useful fashion. It was a pleasure to find his strength and focus equal to this and he sighed as cramping muscles began to relax.

The door to the bathing room opened and Leo was startled to see Kouga enter. "Er…"

Kouga held up a bottle that held what Leo recognized as his own healing oil, one of several he'd given Kouga to help with muscle aches. "Ah, thank you." Leo smiled and nodded toward where his towel lay.

"Come," Kouga said, sounding impatient.

"Pardon me?"

"You need assistance to apply it." Kouga turned and went back out the door, clearly expecting Leo to follow.

It was…true that there were some spots that would be more easily reached by someone else. But was the tradeoff of having it be Kouga worth the potential humiliation? Leo did not look down into the water to view how pleasant his body found the prospect of Kouga applying oil to him. Closing his eyes again, he used a few precious moments to run _another_ mental exercise, one not learned formally, but one that often came in handy. He'd learned it later than most due to his upbringing, but had still found a use for it now and then.

Body once again relaxed, Leo got out of the bath as quickly and safely as he could, fearing that Kouga would come to do something embarrassing like carry him. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he took a cleansing breath and went through the door. 

Kouga had laid another towel on the bed to catch stray oil and he studied Leo as he walked toward the bed. Nodding in apparent satisfaction, he gestured for Leo to lie down.

Breathing shallowly, Leo lay down on his stomach to allow access to his arms and back. It took all of his will to not flinch or moan when Kouga's hands touched his back, applying the oil in precise sweeps with just the right pressure to be a massage as well.

It was…he'd never had someone do this for him, Leo realized with a sharp pang. All of this. Other than Eruba and Mio, nobody had ever been concerned for his well-being or angry that he was hurt. And neither of them could take such physical care of him. But Kouga and Kaoru and Rei and Gonza were…they were not like family. Because in his experience, family wasn't soothing or loving.

Leo ran the exercise to clear his mind again, just letting the sensation of Kouga's hands flow through him, the oil sinking in and doing its work. By the time Kouga helped him roll over, Leo was half-asleep. Which was probably for the best as Kouga did the same on his chest and the front of his legs.

In that dreamy state, he blinked up at Kouga when the massage was done. "Thank you," he said, his smile probably looking ridiculous, but he couldn't find it in him to care.

Leo thought that Kouga smiled as he covered him with a light sheet, but surely that was his imagination. And if Kouga seemed to turn away quickly, before Leo could see him clearly, well, that was too much of a mystery for this moment.

* * *

Kaoru brought him dinner even though he protested he could get dressed and come to the table. "Let me pamper you for one more night," she said.

And who could resist that? Leo ate slowly as Kaoru nibbled on crackers to keep him company. He didn't want this to end, he had to admit. He was quickly losing all will to insist on moving out of the mansion.

But how could he intrude on Kouga and Kaoru in that way? Their love for each other was so clear and they both deserved it. They deserved happiness and they didn't need a pathetic person hovering over them all the time.

"Yo!" Rei said, coming through the door as he was preparing for bed.

Leo smiled at him, then paused as a thought occurred to him. "Er…Rei, where are you living?" 

Rei turned an unreadable look on him and considered the question for much longer than it should have needed. "Usually here," he said finally. 

"Oh."

"Zero," Shiruba said, her tone odd. That word seemed to hold a lot of meaning, as Rei smiled down at her on his wrist. 

"So, more training tomorrow then," Rei said, moving on as if nothing strange had happened at all. 

"Yes, of course. Thank you." Leo bowed his head.

With a smirk, Rei left Leo alone to his confused thoughts.

* * *

Now that Leo had the energy to think about it, he realized that Rei had been in the mansion nearly constantly since Leo awoke. As they all met for meals in the next few days, when Kouga or Rei weren't off fighting Horrors, it became clear that Rei was fully integrated into the life at the mansion, with Gonza knowing his favorite foods and the parlor having a special spot where Rei tended to sit.

It made everything ten times worse, Leo thought miserably. It just made it clearer that he didn't understand human relationships and he didn't belong here. What was Rei's place in Kaoru and Kouga's life? Leo couldn't tell, but Rei fit in so perfectly and Leo felt like an outsider. As always.

It took Leo a full day to recognize that the others were trying to cheer him up. They had _noticed_ he was upset and were trying to do something about it. Even Kouga was making an effort and that was almost laughably adorable.

"That's what people _do_ ," Eruba said, sounding crankier than usual. "I know you don't believe me, but people are supposed to want to help their friends feel better."

"I know that!" Leo protested.

"No, you know that _you_ are supposed to make people feel better, not that anyone is supposed to help you."

Leo couldn't argue with that. He was in the garden, looking at the forest, when Rei found him, dropping into the chair across from him. Leo nodded a welcome.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's bothering you? Kaoru is nearly in tears and Kouga almost punched a wall just now, so we need to resolve this."

Leo blinked. "They…for me? Are upset for me, I mean?"

Propping his chin in a hand, Rei looked at him. "D'you know, I didn't believe everyone when they described your martyr complex. I figured I'd worked with Kouga for years and been there myself, so I'd obviously seen the worst of it. But I was wrong."

Leo had no idea how to respond to that.

"Zero," Shiruba said. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yep. We're not getting anywhere being delicate." Rei looked at Leo. "Getting a few things straight: You're not a burden on us. Your brother's actions are not your fault. Getting captured was mostly not your fault. The shit your parents pulled was definitely not your fault."

Leo couldn't breathe. He was almost certain his heart had stopped beating as well. Only his grip on the wrought iron table in front of him was keeping him upright. 

"Leo!" Eruba was calling both inside and outside his head, but it was impossible to answer. "Leo, say something! Rei! I'll kill you for this!"

"No," Leo managed to gasp out. When he pried open his eyes, Rei knelt in front of him, hand hovering over his, looking more desperate than Leo could remember since they fought Ganon. 

Rei's eyes scanned him as he grabbed onto Leo's knees. "Breathe. Just breathe."

Knowing that Rei was right, Leo focused on following Rei's careful slow breaths and grounding himself with the firm pressure of Rei's hands. In and out, calming the panic that had hit him. Finally, he relaxed back against the chair.

"Rei," Eruba said with menace. "I'm going to—"

"Don't you dare," Shiruba said. "He was just trying—"

"Quiet!" Kouga roared as he marched down the back steps toward them.

Silence reigned as Kouga stalked toward them, then growled, "What happened?"

Leo wasn't even sure, so he stayed silent. The two Madou tools seemed abashed. Rei rose from his crouch in front of Leo and stepped forward. "I pushed him too hard," he said, sounding like someone preparing to accept punishment.

Kouga shot Rei an angry glance, jerking his head back toward the mansion. Rei walked away, fists clenched.

Kouga sat in the chair Rei had vacated, looking at Leo.

"Do you know? About my parents?" Leo burst out with the question, then looked down, abashed at challenging Kouga.

"Yes."

"You told them a great deal while you were fevered," Eruba mumbled.

Feeling betrayed, Leo looked at her. "You said—"

"I didn't tell you the whole truth. You weren't ready. You clearly _aren't_ ready."

Leo focused on his breathing, unable to look up. The memories tried to flood back. His father training him with a sword, his mother training him with a brush. Being beaten by both, his only refuge his brother.

"Leo."

Swallowing, Leo looked up, focusing on Kouga's face to banish the memories.

"It changes nothing." Kouga's voice was firm.

"I don't understand."

"Your family's actions do not affect our opinion of you."

"But if I had—"

"Stop." Kouga's hand slashed through the air. "Your parents made their choices. You lived with the results. The council made its choices and you nearly died for them. You will remain here, where we can protect you."

Leo's jaw dropped as Kouga stood, whirled, and stomped back to the mansion. 

"Leo?" Eruba said, eventually.

"Do you know what's going on?"

She sighed. "I suppose. But I don't think it will help if I explain it to you. Perhaps you should speak to Kaoru. She seems like the most sensible one of the bunch."

* * *

Gonza was nearly wringing his hands when Leo stopped to ask him where he could find Kaoru. 

His legs barely shook as he found Kaoru sitting on a bench in the conservatory, staring at a camellia bush. She smiled faintly at him as he sat down beside her.

They sat like that for a while, the only sound a fan somewhere keeping the air moving through the bushes and trees, and rustling the flowers. Eventually, Kaoru turned to look at him. "I'm sorry. We've gone about everything poorly."

"You saved his life," Eruba said.

That made Leo and Kaoru smile at each other and she nodded at Eruba. "True."

"That counts for a great deal," Leo said.

Her smile faded as she looked at him. "We haven't talked to you about what you said while you were delirious. That's why I'm sorry."

"I don't like to talk about my family. I've never told anyone about my parents." His voice felt and sounded shaky. "It was…I didn't know that wasn't what every child's life was like until I went to Kantai."

"Oh, Leo." She reached out and took his hands, gripping him tightly. 

"What did I say?"

Kaoru looked down at their hands. "You were trained to be both a Knight and a Priest. That's how you were both able to switch. Training never stopped."

"Yes."

"Your mother…" Kaoru paused. "It sounds like some kind of mental disorder."

"It happens sometimes to Makai Priests. The power takes them and they never entirely return."

"Did your father tell anyone?"

"There's no cure that we know of. And he was always a stubborn man." Leo took several more breaths. "He decided to use her power to train us further."

"She was abusive."

Leo didn't respond to that. "If the council had known, they would have removed her powers, so he didn't tell them. My birth, Sigma's birth, they were recorded magically in the archive, but nobody else knew. They never bothered to look."

"That's why nobody knew about him."

Leo nodded. "I don't know exactly who finished his training but I would imagine he gave them a false name. I finished training in Kantai. When he came back…it never occurred to me to tell anyone. I was too used to depending on myself."

"How did you end up so wonderful?" 

Leo stared at her. "What?"

Impishly grinning, Kaoru squeezed his hands. "You came out of a series of horrible experiences a remarkably sweet man and I was wondering what your secret was."

Leo could only stare.

"I think I broke him," Kaoru said to Eruba.

"I've been trying to tell him this for years. I think he's just shocked to hear someone else say it."

Leo had no idea how to respond.

Kaoru squeezed his hands again. "There was also…"

He waited as she bit her lip and avoided his eyes.

Eruba sighed. "Get on with it child, or I'll tell him. I'm tired of this."

"You said…" Kaoru took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "You told each of us that you loved us."

Leo almost fell as he yanked his hands back and stumbled off the bench. "I'm sorry," he said, the words tumbling faster than his brain. "I shouldn't have…I didn't…I'll leave."

"No!" Kaoru leaped forward, flinging herself against him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Please, let me explain."

Squeezing his eyes closed, Leo waited, trying not to touch Kaoru at any point.

"It's okay," she said, voice gentle like she was trying to entice the kitten she'd told him about. "Nobody's angry. You don't need to be embarrassed."

Which was easy for her to say, he thought.

"I'm still doing this wrong." She rested her forehead against his chest. "We love you too."

"That's very kind." He was proud of getting words out in a coherent order. 

"Not just as a friend," she said quickly, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry?"

"Please come sit back down," she said, letting go of his waist but taking a hand. Tugging, she pulled him back to the bench, where she sat opposite him, still holding the hand. "Rei said you asked him where he lives. And he told you he lived here. Because Kouga and I love him as much as we love each other."

Leo waited for things to make sense.

"We love you too. All of us. We want you to stay."

No, things definitely still weren't making sense.

"Leo?" Eruba spoke up. "She means it. They all mean it. They spoke to me about it while you were unconscious. Asked for my blessing. They're romantics, the lot of them."

Wetting his lips, Leo tried to figure out what he could possibly say.

"Eruba," Kaoru said. "Could you contact Shiruba and Zaruba?"

"Yes, of course." Eruba was silent for a moment. "Leo?"

He managed a vaguely affirmative noise.

"You deserve this."

"What?" He looked at her.

Eruba sounded tired. "Is there anyone who knows you better than me?" 

"No." He shook his head slowly.

"When you renounced the armor, I stayed with you. I stood by you while you tried to save Sigma. I made the mistake of letting you take this mission."

"No, it wasn't—"

"Let me finish."

Abashed, Leo waited.

Eruba sighed. "What I'm saying is that I've put up with your lack of self-esteem and lack of belief in your self-worth. Here you find three people who find you very worthy. And I want you to listen to them before you reject what they're offering."

Leo whirled at the sound of hands clapping behind him. Kouga stood beside Rei, who was leaning against a nearby tree, grinning as he clapped. "Nicely done, sweetheart."

"If you don't stop calling me sweetheart—"

"The secret's out." Rei shrugged. "What are you going to do to me now?"

"I'll think of something," Eruba muttered.

Pushing himself off the tree, Rei came closer, his grin fading. He knelt in front of Leo, taking the hand that Kaoru wasn't holding. "I'm sorry," he said. "Sorry for blurting all of that out."

Leo couldn't help it, looking around him. "Did my fever come back?"

Kaoru and Rei both snickered.

"No," Kouga said, stalking toward the group of them. Stepping between Rei and Kaoru, he leaned over and kissed Leo.

Leo sputtered in surprise for a moment, but Kouga was relentless, every swipe of his tongue a lesson in how to subdue your partner. How long did they kiss? Leo had no idea. But when Kouga finally pulled back, all Leo could do was stare up at him. Kouga nodded in satisfaction, a tiny smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Leo became aware that both Kaoru and Rei were still there, staring, and he looked helplessly back and forth, before realizing that neither looked upset in the least. They hadn't let go of his hands and were, in fact, gripping more tightly.

Rei tugged Leo's hand gently, smiling when Leo looked at him. "So…you don't know what flirting looks like, do you?"

"Flirting?" Leo tilted his head. "I've never thought about it."

Rei raised an eyebrow at Kaoru. "That explains a lot."

She nodded. "We've been flirting since you recovered, but it never occurred to us you might not recognize it."

Kouga cleared his throat.

"Well, Kouga had his suspicions." She gently poked Kouga's side with a finger. "But I didn't understand completely…well, until you told me just now."

"Didn't understand that I'm useless with humans?" Leo asked, voice rough.

"What? No!" She looked horrified.

Rei patted her arm. "I think it's my turn for a heart-to-heart. Hopefully this time without traumatizing him."

Kaoru nodded, leaning forward to briefly hug Leo and kiss his cheek before standing. Leo didn't want to let go of her hand but he did. She took Kouga's arm.

Kouga paused, looking at Leo. "It's worth it," he finally said. "I swear to you."

Kaoru tugged his arm and led Kouga out of the conservatory.

Rei stood with grace and pivoted to sit on the bench next to Leo. "You're not useless with humans," he said firmly. "You're a thousand times better at it than Kouga is, for example. You're warm and caring; you attract friends like a flower does bees."

Leo shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I would guess you never learned to read human emotion and behavior as well as people with more traditional childhoods, but that’s not being useless at it. It's understandable that you would be more comfortable with the Goryu than with people, who are unpredictable."

Leo thought about that. "You said you'd been flirting?"

"Kaoru has lavished more attention on you than I've seen in weeks," Rei said with a laugh. "And let me tell you, if Kouga had given me that massage…well, nobody would see us for 24 hours."

"Why?"

Rei opened his mouth and then closed it. "Leo. Just now, when Kouga kissed you, was that your first kiss?"

He nodded.

"So I can safely assume that you've never had sex."

He nodded again.

"Er…do you feel sexual desire?" Rei scowled, pausing to consider his words. "Do you get aroused?"

"Yes. But when I came to Kantai, one of the older Priests taught me an exercise to clear my mind of arousal."

"Of _course_ …those dried up prunes." Rei patted Leo's arm. "Look, I'm sure that's useful now and then, but it's okay to feel things, even confusing things."

"This is definitely confusing," Leo said with some acerbity. 

Rei rubbed Leo's arm. "If you don't have feelings for us, you need to say so."

It took Leo a moment to register what Rei had said, because he was focused on Rei's fingers rubbing back and forth across the fabric of his shirt. "I do. I think."

Rei hissed out a breath. "If I could go back and time and confront your parents, I might rethink my position on only killing Horrors."

"That's…"

"I'm sorry, does that bother you?" Rei's forehead crinkled.

"No." Leo tried to find the words for what he meant. "You want to protect me."

"Yes. Not that you're weak."

"Take care of me, I mean."

Rei nodded. "Yeah."

"Until now, there's only been Eruba. And Mio, sort of, but she was with Sigma. I don't know what I feel."

"That's okay. We're all making it up as we go along anyway. Kouga's not great with words at the best of times."

Leo ducked his head.

"If it helps, I think your subconscious is a lot more certain of your feelings." Rei's voice was filled with laughter. "Kaoru's blush when you told her how beautiful she is, well, that was truly a thing of beauty."

"Oh," Leo said faintly.

"Hey." Rei put a finger under Leo's chin and gently raised his head. "We're not going to force you to do anything. Well, not after that kiss. Kouga needed…" Rei paused, pursing his lips. "He didn't know how to tell you his feelings."

Leo nodded slowly. "I understand."

"For now, will you please just stay with us? Stop trying to leave?" For the first time, Rei's voice cracked.

"I…yes. Yes, I'll stay."

And then Kaoru and Kouga were back and Gonza was there and everyone was hugging him and talking. Leo's mind whirled, breathing in the humid air of the conservatory and listening to the noise.

This time, though, the noise was welcoming. It was…love? And family?

"Yes," Eruba said in his mind. "That's exactly what this is."

\--end--

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt: 
> 
> Your character has just escaped from his captors and is running through a swamp. He grasps his wounded, bleeding side and trudges on through the swamp. He grows weary from running, weak from hunger, and is dizzy from blood loss. Heart beating faster, he plods through the muck using whatever strength he has, but the loos of blood was making him wobbly. He knew that he couldn’t go on for much longer but he had to try to put as much distance as he could between him and his captors. He trudges on, growing weaker and weaker. Finally, before his legs could give out, he leans back on a large bald cypress tree and slumps down into the thick mud. Anxiously, he glances around, looking for any sign of his captors and, for once, in a very long time, breathes a jagged sigh of relief. He lays there, chest deep in thick mud, thoughts racing madly; his heart beats rapidly in his chest.
> 
> Night time falls. The character’s head explodes in a very painful headache. His ears ring loudly with white noise. The character shifts uncomfortably in the cold thick mud, trying to keep himself upright. The swamp spins around like a globe in the character’s weak and tired eyes. He struggles to keep them open, knowing that his captors could be upon him at any moment. But the white noise grows louder in the character’s ear until he feels like he could swim in it. His eyelids grow heavier and heavier until he could no longer keep them open. He slumps down into the mud until his lips gently disappear below the surface, the mud just under his nose. His eyes, weakly and tired, glance up at the night sky one more time before his vision fades out and he slowly drifts off into unconsciousness…


End file.
